SURGICAL SITE MARKING PROTOCOLS AND POLICY

Reference Number

3.5

Version

Name of responsible (ratifying) committee

Theatre Management Team (TMT)

Date ratified

05.05.2010

Document Manager (job title)

Theatre Training Professional Development Manager

Date issued

23.07.2010

Review date

20.05.2012

Electronic location

Corporate Policies

Related Procedural Documents

See section 8 of this policy

Key Words (to aid with searching)

Wrong Site Surgery; Surgical Site Marking; Laterality;

Bilateral; Digit Surgery; Anaesthetic Blocks

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CONTENTS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE....................................................................................................... 3

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 4
PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................... 4
SCOPE ........................................................................................................................................ 4
DEFINITIONS .............................................................................................................................. 4
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .............................................................................................. 4
PROCESS ................................................................................................................................... 5
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................... 8
REFERENCES AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION ............................................................ 8
MONITORING COMPLIANCE WITH, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF, PROCEDURAL
DOCUMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 8

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QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

For quick reference the guide below is a summary of actions required. This does not negate the need
for those involved in the process to be aware of and follow the detail of this policy.
1. The person who is responsible for making the mark on the patient is the Operating Surgeon
who will be performing the procedure, or his/her deputy.
2. The surgeon who makes the mark must be present for that specific operation.
3. 7KHSDWLHQWVVXUJLFDOVLWHLVWREHPDUNHGEHIRUHWKHSDWLHQWLVPRYHGWRWKHORFDWLRQZKHUH
the procedure will be performed. The patient will be involved, awake and aware; preferably
before any prescribed pre-medication is administered
4. The mark is to be an arrow pointing to the site of the operative procedure, as close as
possible to the incision site
5. The mark is to be made with an indelible, permanent black marker pen and should be
sufficient to remain visible after skin preparation and draping; if practicable
6. The site for all procedures that involve incisions, percutaneous punctures, or insertion of
instruments must be marked
7. All site markings must be made in conjunction with checks made on the patientVGLDJQRVWLF
imaging results i.e. X-rays, scans, electronic imaging or other appropriate test results,
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8. Exceptions to marking are at section 6.3
9. Specialty specific instructions are at section 6.4

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1. INTRODUCTION
In a service as large and complex as the NHS, there will be occasions when things do not go
as planned. These include such events as wrong site, wrong procedure or wrong person
surgery.
This policy has been formulated in response to the recommendations made by the National
Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and is designed to complement the World Health Organisation
(WHO) checklist implemented on 1 June 2009.
The policy has been formulated in response to the Department of Health publications Building a
Safer NHS, Doing less Harm and the National Patient Safety Agency publications Building a
memory: preventing harm, reducing risks and improving patient safety, and Seven Steps to
Patient Safety. However, the ultimate aim is to reduce the risk of harm to patients through
improving the safety and quality of services and the environment.

2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to clarify and inform a universally acceptable method within
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust (the Trust), by which patients undergoing a surgical procedure
will have their operative site marked appropriately and accurately.
It will:
x
x
x
x
x

Minimise the risk of surgery on the wrong site or wrong patient

Minimise the risk of the wrong procedure being performed
Inform and guide the operating surgeon as to the method used to mark the skin and
operative site
Where anatomically the site will be marked
When the marking will be undertaken.

3. SCOPE
This policy applies to all permanent, locum, agency and bank surgeons or their deputies who
work in Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, the MDHU (Portsmouth) and who are responsible for
the identification and marking of a SDWLHQWVVXUJLFDOVLWH.
,QWKHHYHQWRIDQLQIHFWLRQRXWEUHDNIOXSDQGHPLFRUPDMRULQFLGHQWWKH7UXVWUHFRJQLVHV
that it may not be possible to adhere to all aspects of this document. In such circumstances,
staff should take advice from their manager and all possible action must be taken to
PDLQWDLQRQJRLQJSDWLHQWDQGVWDIIVDIHW\

4. DEFINITIONS
World Health Organisation (WHO) Checklist: a checklist developed by the WHO and
collaborators at the Harvard School of Public Health, the checklist identifies key safety steps
during perioperative care that should be accomplished during every single operation no matter
the setting or type of surgery. It has been shown to significantly reduce complications and
deaths from surgery.
Time Out Section of WHO Checklist: a momentary pause taken by the team just before skin
incision in order to confirm that several essential safety checks are undertaken and involves
everyone in the team

5. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Director of Clinical Standards (Medical Director)
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The Director of Clinical Standards has ultimate responsibility for ensuring that appropriate
processes are in place for the safe management of surgical patients, including preoperative
marking.
Clinical Directors
Clinical Directors in each specialty have responsibility for ensuring their surgeons mark
SDWLHQWVDFFRUGLQJO\DQGFDUU\ out the instructions within this policy.
Operating Surgeon (or deputy)
It is the responsibility of the operating surgeon or deputy to mark the operative site in
accordance with this policy
Anaesthetists
Anaesthetists are responsible for marking the site of any proposed local/regional block
WHO Checklist Coordinator/practitioner
The Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that each individual patient has been marked
appropriately prior to arrival in theatre.
The Operating Theatre Team
The operating theatre team carries out the WHO Checklist has joint responsibility for ensuring
that the correct site has been identified prior to commencement of surgery.

6. PROCESS
6.1 Making the Mark
6.1.1

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location where the procedure will be performed. The patient will be involved,
awake and aware; preferably before any prescribed pre-medication is
administered

6.1.2

The mark is to be an arrow pointing to the site of the operative procedure, as close
as possible to the incision site

6.1.3

The mark is to be made with an indelible, permanent black marker pen and should
be sufficient to remain visible after skin preparation and draping; if practicable

6.1.4

The site for all procedures that involve incisions, percutaneous punctures, or
insertion of instruments must be marked taking into consideration
x
x

6.1.5

Surface, spine level, specific digit or lesion to be operated on

Laterality. For procedures involving laterality of organs, but where the
decision or approach may be from the mid-line or natural orifice, the site
must be marked and a note made of the laterality

All site markings must be made in conjunction with checks made on the patientV
diagnostic imaging results i.e. X-rays, scans, electronic imaging or other
DSSURSULDWH WHVW UHVXOWV HQVXULQJ WKHVH PDWFK WKH SDWLHQWV PHGLFDO QRWHV DQG
identity band.

Other sites that may require marking, are those necessary for some other aspect of care that
directly relates to the planned, proposed procedure i.e. dual/multiple surgical sites, stoma
sites.

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6.2 Who Marks the site?

6.2.1

The person who is responsible for making the mark on the patient is the Operating
Surgeon who will be performing the procedure, or his/her deputy.

6.2.2

If the deputy marks the site, that deputy must also be present during the operative
procedure.

6.2.3

In summary, the surgeon who makes the mark must be present for that specific
operation.
The exception to this is where a patient will require a stoma as a result of a
planned, elective procedure. The stoma site may be marked by the stoma nurse
specialist pre-operatively in collaboration with the surgical team.

6.2.4

6.3 Exceptions to Site Marking

6.3.1

All endoscopies without planned intentional, invasive procedures are considered

exempt from surgical site marking. Also, such sites where there is no
predetermined site of surgical access, such as cardiac catheterisation and other
minimally invasive procedures, would be considered exempt.

6.3.2

There may also be exemption instances where the laterality of surgery needs to be
confirmed following examination under anaesthetic (EUA) or exploration.

6.3.3

Procedures that have a midline approach for specific named treatments intended
for a single specific organ i.e. caesarean section, hysterectomy or hyroidectomy,
can also be exempted from site marking.

6.3.4

It is acknowledged that there is no practical or reliable way of marking teeth or

mucous membranes; especially in the case of teeth planned for extraction. A
review of the dental records and radiographs with the tooth/teeth must be
undertaken and their anatomical numbers for extraction clearly marked on these
records and radiographs.

6.3.5

Other areas/patients where it is anatomically and technically difficult to mark the

operative site include areas such as the perineum, friable skin around the site and
with neonates or premature infants.

6.3.6

For obvious wounds or lesions, site marking is not applicable if that wound or
lesion is the site of surgical intervention. However, if there are multiple wounds or
lesions and only some of them are to be treated and this decision is predetermined, then these sites must be marked as soon as possible after the
decision has been made for surgery

6.3.7

For any sites not marked, the proposed operation/procedure must be reviewed to
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This must be undertaken in conjunction with a review of all relevant documentation,
LQFOXGLQJ WKH SDWLHQWV QRWHV DSSURSULDWH FKDUWV diagnostic imaging (correctly
oriented); DQGDGRXEOHSHUVRQFKHFNRIDOOLQIRUPDWLRQ. The procedure must note
commence without this review having occurred.

6.4 Specialty Specific instructions (not otherwise covered above)

6.4.1 Spinal Surgery
For spinal surgery the advice is for a 2-stage marking process where, firstly, the
general level of the procedure is marked pre-operatively: cervical, thoracic or
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lumbar. The surgical site is then marked appropriate to show either an anterior or
posterior approach with right or left being highlighted. Secondly, the exact
interspace(s) are demonstrated using standard intra-operative radiographic
marking technique. This is based on evidence published from surgery being
performed in reported cases where the patients intended for cervical procedures
had a lumbar procedure started and vice-a-versa.

6.5

6.4.2

Ophthalmic Surgery
For single eye surgery a small mark should be made either on the temple, or on
the lateral aspect of the eye between the lateral canthus and the ear, pointing to
the correct eye for treatment. The exception is for planned bilateral procedures on
both eyes (such as bilateral squint surgery), but the laterality of such procedures
should be well documented7KHPDUNLQJRIDFKLOGVKHDGIDFHPXVWEHDVVHVVHG
at the time of pre-assessment by the surgeon as to its psychological
appropriateness. If no mark is made, then the procedures referred to at 6.3.7 must
be adhered to.

6.4.3

Bilateral Treatment
Whilst this policy focuses on laterality, specific anatomical sites, levels and areas,
surgeons must consider that it is possible to perform the wrong bilateral
procedure(s). Therefore site marking for bilateral, identical, procedures but not
required. If no mark is made, then the procedures referred to at 6.3.7 must be
adhered to.

6.4.4

ENT Surgery
There may be occasions where marking the patientVVNLQWRSRLQWWRWKHFRUUHFW
site for surgery may be inappropriate e.g. bilateral tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy,
laryngectomy. In these cases 6.3.3 / 6.3.4 / 6.3.7 apply. For ENT surgical sites
where a skin incision is made on a specific side i.e. surgery on the external pinna
and tympanotomy and surgical side/site to take the graft, these should be marked
with an arrow accordingly.

6.4.5

Burr Holes
Incidents have been reported to the NPSA of wrong side burr-holes being carried
out as a result of and failure to mark the appropriate side for surgery before the
patient arrives in theatre. It is now acceptable practice to mark the side of the burrhole to be carried out in the usual manor as directed by the Royal College of
Surgeons, Neuro-anaesthesia Society and the Society of British Neurological
Surgeons.

6.4.6

Digital Surgery
Each and every digit to be operated on must have an individual arrow pointing to
and as close as possible to the respective digit.

6.4.7

Anaesthetic Local/Block Procedure

The site of the local/block procedure must be marked prior to the patient being
given a general anaesthetic (if one is to be given) and/or when the pre-operative
assessment is carried out by the anaesthetist carrying out the procedure. The
mark must be a circle and centraO GRW ZLWKLQ WKH FLUFOH - the dot to indicate the
point of entry for the needle - and made using a permanent green marker, to
distinguish the mark from that made for the surgical site.

STERILITY OF MARKING
Research has been carried out to ascertain whether the use of a permanent ink marker
to mark a surgical site, affects the sterility of a patients skin after it has been cleaned
with surgical preparation solution.

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The results showed that no growth was seen in the cultures of swabs taken on both the
control group (un-marked) and on the experimental group (marked). Pre-operative
marking of surgical sites in accordance with the Joint Commission protocol did not affect
the sterility of the surgical field, therefore providing support for the safety of surgical site
marking (Cronen, et al . 2005).

7. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Training of all surgeons and junior doctors must be carried out at their induction covering the
WHO Checklist and the guidelines for surgical site marking. This will be facilitated by the
designated clinical teams providing any new employee induction for surgical teams. This will be
directed by the specialty Clinical Director.

8. REFERENCES AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION

Internal
x WHO checklist, as adapted for use in Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
External
x Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert, Lesson learned Wrong Site Surgery (1998)
x

Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert, Issue 4, (2001)

National patient safety Agency (NPSA) Patient safety Alert 06 Correct site surgery,
making your surgery safer (2005)

National patient safety Agency (NPSA) New Guidance for Neurosurgical Teams to
avoid wrong side Burr-holes (2008)

Joint Commission Universal Protocol, procedure site marking (2009)

World Health Organisation (WHO) Implementation manual, Surgical Safety Checklist

1st Ed (2009)

Cronen, G. et al. Sterility of Surgical Site Marking. Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery,
2005; 87: p.2193 2195

9. MONITORING COMPLIANCE WITH, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF,

PROCEDURAL DOCUMENTS
Key Performance
Indicator
100% if surgical sites
will be marked
correctly
100% compliance in
completion of WHO
forms

Responsible Lead
Lead Clinican
Theatre Link
Practitioner

Evidence

Reviewed by /
Frequency

Audit of
Theatreman
documentation
Audit of
compliance with
WHO checklist

Theatre Management
Team
Quarterly
Theatre Management
Team
Quarterly

Lead Responsible
for any Required
Actions
Senior Clinical
Manager
Clinical Directors
Senior Clinical
Manager
Clinical Directors

x Through on-going daily audit through the WHO checklist process incorporating team brief.
(The theatre staff, anaesthetist and surgeon with the theatre practitioners involved in the
checklist will monitor/facilitate this. Copies of each patients WHO checklist will be filed in their
notes and also will be inputted onto theatrman data base this all occurs daily)

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